Door opening and closing device.



APPLICATION FILED AUGJII 19l6- Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

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DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE. 7 APPLICATION man Auem, me. 1 219 716. Patented Mar. 20, 1917. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CHARLES FLINT, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOE OF ONE-TENTH T0 SARAH SVANSON, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lillar. 20, 1917.

Application filed August 21, 1916. Serial No. 116,064.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES FLINT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door Opening and Closing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in door opening and closing devices, especially adapted for use in connection with the sliding type of doors such as are employed upon box cars and the like.

' The object of my invention is to provide a sliding door opening and closing device of very simple inexpensive construction, which will effectively perform the functions of contrivances of this character; and which is so constructed and installed as to be adequately housed and protected from I the weather and from breakage during loading or unloading of the car.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a novel locking device for retaining and, locking the sliding door, the said device being of extremely simple and inexpensive constructiom'its parts being so disposed and arranged that damage thereof is not likely to occur.

The particular construction and several advantages of my invention will be more fully pointed out in the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an exterior view in side eleva tion of a portion of a box car showing the sliding door in closed position, the lever for manipulating my device, and the locking means.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of one side and door of the box car taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inside view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 of the car door equipped with my opening and closing device, the door being in its closed position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the device in operative position for sliding the door.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view 011 line 55 of Fig. 3 showing one element of my device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters are used to indicate like parts in the several views, the numeral 1 designates the sliding car door which is mounted upon the car in the conventional manner by means of the hangers 2, rollers 3, and slotted guide 4, the latter being secured to the car frame.

My device proper consists of a toothed gear 5 mounted and journaled in the stanchion or upright supporting member 6 which is secured to the car base beam by means of the bolted bracket 7 and with a portion thereof extending below the said beam so that it is accessible from the exterior of the car. This stanchion is formed of two corresponding members 6 and 6", and the said toothed gear is disposed between the said members as is also the spring-like curved flexible metal tension arm 8 which is pivotally mounted at 9 at the upper end of the said stanchion. This arm 8 is operatively connected with the said toothed gear 5 by means of the sprocket chain 10 and the two cables 11, the latter being secured to the arm somewhat away from its pivot, substantially as shown. Rotatably mounted upon the in terior of the car door above the pivotal point of the said arm 8 is a pulley wheel 12. This pulley wheel is adapted to be engaged by the spring-like arm 8 for effecting the opening or the closing of the car door, as the casemay be. A lever handle 13 is mounted upon the toothed gear shaft 14:.

The closing or opening of the'door is accomplished by first partly rotating the toothed gear 5 by means of the lever handle 13 until the arm 8 is swung from its inoperative position as shown in Fig. 3, to the position shown in Fig. 4, in which latter position the arm is brought into contact with, engages, and serves to exert a spring tension upon the pulley wheel 12. lVhen the tension is further increased by a rapid upward movement of the lever handle 13 the spring arm will throw the sliding door open upon its rollers 3. It is obvious that the door being in open position (opposite to that indicated in the drawings) a reverse like manipulation of the lever handle will effect the closing of the door.

For the purpose of preventing too great lateral movement of the sliding door at the bottom thereof I have provided the rod 15 which is fastened to the car base beam as shown so as to form a retaining means and guide for the said door.

An additional feature for use in connection with the sliding door consists of a means for retaining the door in closed position and for locking the same. To this end I have provided (see Fig. 1) an angle locking member 16 bolted to the door, the lip portion 17 thereof having an eye adapted to register with an eye or aperture in the free U-shaped end of the locking-arm 18 which is pivotally mounted on the car at 19, the said eyes being for the purpose of receiving a lock 20. By this arrangement the door is firmly held in its closed position and the lock relieved of any strain. Upon removal of the lock the locking arm will drop down and the door may then be opened. It will be noted that none of the parts of this locking means projects beyond the outside surface of the car door, and hence is not likely to be sheared oli or damaged.

From the description it is apparent that I have provided a mechanism which is inclosed and contained within the car so that it is properly protected from the outside and during loading and unloading of the car, but which may nevertheless be conveniently operated exteriorly of the car.

Having described my invention, its operation and advantages, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In combination with a sliding type of door, a spring arm pivotally mounted intermediate of its extremities, and an engaging device carried upon one face of said door adapted to be engaged by one end of said arm to slide the door in one direction and by the opposite end of said arm to slide the door in the opposite direction.

2. In combination with'a sliding type of door, a spring arm pivotally mounted intermediatc of its extremities, a toothed gear, flexible connections between said arm and said gear including a chain for engaging the latter, and an engaging member mounted on said door adapted to be engaged by either end of said arm to open and close the door.

3. In combination with a sliding type of door, a spring arm pivotally mounted intermediate of its extremities, a toothed gear, flexible connections between said arm and said gear, a pulley mounted on said door adapted to be engaged by either end of said arm to open and close the door, and means for operating or rotating said gear.

at. In combination with an independently mounted and supported sliding type of door, of an opening and closing mechanism therefor comprising an arm pivotally mounted intermediate of its extremities, and an engaging device carried upon one face of said door adapted to be engaged by one end of said arm to slide the door in one direction and by the opposite end of said arm to slide the door in the opposite direction.

5. In combination with an independently mounted and supported sliding type of door, of an opening and closing mechanism therefor comprising an arm pivotally mounted intermediate of its extremities, an engaging device carried upon one face of said door adapted to be engaged by one end of said arm to slide the door in one direction and by the opposite end of said arm to slide the door in the opposite direction, and means for actuating said arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES FLINT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

